Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Severance Season 2 Episode 3.
Although it seemed at some points like it was never going to happen due to countless delays and production issues,SeveranceSeason 2 is now underway and the first three episodes are streaming on Apple TV+. Earlier this week,Collider brought you an exclusive clipfrom the most recent episode, which teased the moment when Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) meets with Helena Eagan (Britt Lower) in the Lumon parking lot to discuss her future with the company.
The moment is incredibly tense, and while Ms. Cobel often held the upper hand in every interaction in Season 1, it now feels like it’s her with her back against the wall. Collider’sCarly Lanerecently caught up with Arquette to discuss this moment, and she talked about how nothing can be the same for Ms. Cobel after this:
“She gets this feeling inside that it’s a trap, that it’s not real. There’s something punitive going on. I feel like Helena has the capacity to have this incredible coldness in real life, and she is the heir and has grown up in this incredible privilege.I think in that moment, Harmony realizes it’s never going to be what she wants it to be, at least not like this.She has to come back with something different. She has to have more to hold over their heads, more to negotiate with. It’s not going to work out like this for her the way she wants.”
She said the exact same thing that everyone was thinking upon watching this for the first time: it’s a trap. It’s revealed early inSeveranceSeason 2 that Lumon is cutting ties with Ms. Cobel, which is what led toSeth Milchick (Tramell Tillman) being promoted. Lumon isn’t the kind of company to go back on their word, especially not with someone like Ms. Cobel, who effectively caused the mess in the Season 1 finale that the Board and Helena are still trying to figure out how to solve. The only reason Helena would even be offering to bring Ms. Cobel back into the fold is because she could use her in some way, and not only does Arquette feel this way, but it comes off in her performance inSeveranceSeason 2, Episode 3that Cobel is also skeptical and not eager to jump back into bed with Lumon.
How Does ‘Severance’ Season 2 Compare to Season 1?
SeveranceSeason 2 has earned a nearly perfect score of 98% from critics onRotten Tomatoes, and a slightly lower but still impressive rating of 81% from general audiences on the aggregate site. This holds up well in contrast to the first season, which earned a 97% rating from critics onRotten Tomatoesand an 87% score from audiences. For Season 2, these numbers are subject to change as the season continues, but this is still a large enough sample size to look at and safely say thatDan Erickson,Ben Stillerand co. delivered yet another stellar season of TV.
The first three episodes ofSeveranceSeason 2 are now streaming. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates and coverage and watchSeveranceonApple TV+.
